Only two samples left from Teasenz and one of those is an Anji Bai Cha green tea. The description on their website looked promising and their other teas were awesome as well. What could go wrong? If you want to read about other teas from Teasenz, click the following links:
- Liu An Gua Pian Tea Tasting (Teasenz)
- Lapsang Souchong Tea Tasting (Teasenz)
- Fujian Silver Needle Tea Tasting (Teasenz)
- Yunnan Gold Tea Tasting (Teasenz)
- Wild Orange 2009 Ripe Puer Tangerine Tea Tasting (Teasenz)
Don’t know where to buy tea online in Europe? I made a list of over 80 online shops and I keep updating it regularly. You can check it over here.
Anji Bai Cha
The name of this tea can be misleading to some people because bai cha actually means white tea. So this is an Anji white tea green tea? Not really. This is a fully-fledged green tea as it is processed according to the methodology of green teas. The name ‘Anji White Tea’ comes from the cultivar that is used to produce this tea. Before processing, the leaves are whiter than they are green. After infusing the leaves several times, their whiter colour reveals itself again as they become less green. As the name also indicates, this tea comes from Anji in Zhejiang Province, China.
The dry leaves are long and curled. They look really good! They have a uniform light green colour with a yellowish hue to them. The aroma resembles fresh citrus and nettles. In addition to these two, I’m also getting a creamy nuttiness.
The wet leaves are long and seem rather delicate after infusing. The colour is a vivid and lighter kind of green. The aroma hasn’t changed much. It’s mainly a creamy nuttiness with some citrus notes that are also a bit sweet. It’s a really complex smell.
Tea Tasting
- Water 80°C
- 5g for a 150ml Tokoname Kyusu
- 1 rinse
- 6 infusions
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Infusions
Infusion 1 (25 sec): this infusion is rather soft so I’ll do a longer one after this one. Even though it’s rather subtle, the flavours are amazing! The initial flavours are rich and creamy citrus with some nutty notes as well.
Infusion 2 (35 sec): the colour is darker yellow now. This one is a bit less creamy but I’m getting a more prominent nuttiness. The aftertaste is a tiny bit nutty and there is some citrus in there as well.
Infusion 3 (45 sec): I’m still getting a combination of nuttiness and creamy flavours that are also noticeable during the aftertaste. Chalky mouthfeel after swallowing so slightly astringent.
Infusion 4 (2 min): I felt the flavours were fading a bit so I drastically increased the infusion length. The citrus notes were more prominent again. I’m also getting some of the nettles that I got while smelling the dry leaves. A tiny bit more astringent than the previous infusions and I’m also tasting some light nuttiness in the aftertaste.
Infusion 5 (3 min): this one is less nutty than the earlier infusions and is more focused on the fresher citrus notes. It’s not creamy anymore.
Infusion 6 (5 min): soft citrus flavours and a very subtle nuttiness. I feel that the leaves are completely spent now.
Conclusion
The combination of flavours was really delicious. The smell and looks of the dry leaves were promising and the leaves fulfilled that promise. I experienced a pleasant combination of citrus and creamy nuttiness. The later infusions were different as they were more focused on the citrus flavour. The flavours became fresher and sharper towards the end of the session, which was not necessarily a bad thing. Overall, this is a fantastic green tea. I really like nutty flavours in green teas so this one was a clear win.
Do you want to experience the creaminess for yourself? Click here to go to Teasenz’ shop.
